Are Britain and the USA part of the tribes of Israel?

The doctrine that the British peoples are the "Lost Ten Tribes of Israel" has been around a while, one of the earliest writings being around 1590:

"The expectations of the Hebrew prophets are being fulfilled in England and her people" - Le Loyer, 1590

"The Israelites came to and founded the English Isles" - The Ten Lost Tribes Found, Le Loyer, 1590

The doctrine of British-Israelism gained popularity in the 1870s and several publications were promoting it, such as "The Banner of Israel" first published in 1877 by Robert Banks. By the early 1900s the "British-Israel-World Federation" was founded and in the USA the doctrine found its spokesman in Herbert W. Armstrong, the founder of the Worldwide Church of God (publishers of the Plain Truth Magazine) in his booklet entitled "America and Britain in Prophecy". His claims were essentially as follows:

  1. The term "Jew" applies only to the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and not to the "House of Israel"- the ten tribes. The terms "Israelites" and "Jew" are not synonymous.
  2. The return of the Jews under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah to Palestine from their captivity in Babylon was limited to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
  3. David's throne is presently the throne on which Queen Elizabeth sits in London, England.
  4. The "stone of Israel" of Genesis 49:24 was used by Jacob as a pillow and was carried by him into the land of Palestine. When Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land of Israel in 606 BC, the daughter of Zedekiah, king of Judah, fled to Egypt with Jeremiah the prophet, taking the stone with her. From Egypt it was shipped by Jews to Ireland, then Scotland and finally found its place in the coronation chair in the Westminster Abby.

The purpose of this article is to look at the claims of Armstrong from a Scriptural point of view and draw our conclusions from the Bible. This study will require a lot of careful Bible reading and a healthy dose of Biblical history.

Israel United

After the children of Israel had left Egypt with Moses (Exodus 1-14; Acts 7:20-45) and had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years (Number 13-14; Acts 7:36; 13:18), they came into the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua (see the book of Joshua; Acts 7:45). During the 400 to 450 years the children of Israel were ruled over by judges (see Judges and Acts 13:20) until they desired to be like the nations around them and they demanded to have a king (1 Samuel 8:5-6; Acts 13:21); that king was Saul, son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul reigned over all of Israel for 40 years and when he died in battle, God having prepared for this, raised up David son of Jesse of the tribe of Judah to reign over Israel.

1 Kings 2:11 - And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

David was a good king, whom God called "a man after mine own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). He had several sons, but God chose his youngest, Solomon, to sit upon "the throne of the LORD in Israel" (1 Chronicles 28:5; 29:23).

1 Kings 11:42 - And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

During Solomon's reign over Israel things started to go bad, even though they were so good. Solomon had built the Temple of God in Jerusalem, finish his own house and God had given him peace from his enemies and wealth beyond measure and yet during all this Solomon started to fall away from God and do his own thing. He especially love women and had a total of 1000 wives and concubines in his harem, and it was these women that drew his heart away from his God to go after other gods and build places of worship for them as well.

The Division

During Solomon's reign God told Solomon that because of his actions the kingdom would be divided and the southern part of the kingdom would be all that remained in the hands of the line of David.

1 Kings 11:9-13 - And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

Ahijah the prophet was then sent to Jeroboam of the Ephraim to tell him that he was one chosen by God to take ten of the twelve tribes and reign over them.

1 Kings 11:29-37 - And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: and Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: and he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (but he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel) because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

The way that this division would come about was through the taxation system that Solomon had set up in his time to cover the expenses of building the Temple of God, his own home, and all the places of worship for the gods of his wives which are mentioned in the previous passage. All this taxation was already on top of the 10% tax that was instituted under the Law of Moses for the upkeep of the Levitical priesthood (Numbers 18:21).

1 Kings 12:3-4,13-15,19-20 - Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee... And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's council that they gave him... My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke... So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again (out of exile in Egypt - see 1 Kings 11:40), that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

Ignoring the plea of the people, the young Rehoboam chose to raise taxes. The reaction was immediate; the people rebelled and the 12 tribes of the children of Israel were split. Jeroboam was elected king of the northern tribes and Rehoboam was left with just two tribes to tax. While verse 20 concludes with the words "the tribe of Judah only", we find from the verse that follows that Benjamin was also included in the area now known as Judah.

1 Kings 12:21 - And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand (180,000) chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

Even after the split between Judah and Israel, Rehoboam king of Judah was still able to muster a seasoned fighting force of 180,000 men, made up of Judah and Benjamin and also some people of the other tribes who had chosen to remain in Judah.

1 Kings 12:17 - But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

While Rehoboam was prepared to go to was to keep his original territory, God sent a prophet to tell Rehoboam that he was not to go to war and that God was in control of this situation (1 Kings 12:22). War was averted at this point but the civil war had started and it would last for years.

The Migration

After a short period of time, Jeroboam the son of Nebat led Israel into apostasy, but not everyone agreed to follow his wicked ways.

2 Chronicles 11:13-15 - And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him (Rehoboam, king of Judah) out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: and he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils (goat idols: see NIV, ESV, NET), and for the calves which he had made.

If we read a little farther, we find that the Levites were not the only ones to leave the Northern Kingdom of Israel in protest.

2 Chronicles 11:16-17 - And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

Notice the words "out of all the tribes of Israel". The Southern Kingdom of Judah at this point is once again made up of representatives of every tribe. The story does not end there; the Israelites continued to migrate south to Judah. The next record we have is approximately 35 years later, under the reign of Asa, grandson of Rehoboam.

2 Chronicles 15:8-10 - And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephriam, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

Hezekiah king of Judah was a great reformer in the kingdom of Judah, reversing many of the idolatrous edicts of his father Ahaz. After reopening the Temple and having the Levites rededicate it, Hezekiah called for the Passover to be reinstituted and for remnants of the kingdom of Israel (not everyone had been led captive by the Assyrians in 721 BC) to join the kingdom of Judah in worshiping God in the Temple at Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 30:1, 11, 21, 25 - And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover unto the LORD God of Israel ... divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem ... the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness ... And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

While the remnant of Israel returned to their own possessions in the north (2 Chronicles 31:1), they became in reality members of the kingdom of Judah and were now treated as part of that kingdom. When another reformer King, Josiah takes the throne almost 80 years later, he cleans up in both the north and the south.

2 Chronicles 34:3-6 - For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

The Evidence of the Military

We not only see an increase in the southern Kingdom of Judah by way of the record of different tribes defecting to the south, if we take note of the increase in army size of Judah over the period between the split and the captivity of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by Assyria, we will realize the extent to which Judah increased.

Rehoboam, at the time of the division between the tribes, was able to gather a fighting force of 180,000 seasoned warriors (1 Kings 12:21), but some 18 years later, Ahijah, the son of Rehoboam, was able to gather a standing army of 400,000 against Jeroboam's 800,000 (2 Chronicles13:3 - note that Jeroboam lost 500,000 men in this battle). A few years after this, Asa, the son of Ahijah, had an army of 580,000 to fight against Zerah the Ethiopian with 1,000,000 men (2 Chronicles14:8), and about 32 years later, Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, mustered a force of 1,160,000 mighty men of valour (2 Chronicles17:14-19). Amaziah, son of Joash raised an army of 500,000, though 100,000 were mercenaries from Israel (2 Chronicles 25:5-6). Uzziah, the son of Amaziah had a standing army of 310,100 (2 Chronicles 26:11-13).

Invasions into Israel

The kingdom of Israel, while declining through defection to the south, was also loosing people to war. The kings of Syria had invaded (2 Kings 13:3), as had several of the kings of Assyria (Tiglathpileser III - 2 Kings 15:19, 29; 16:7-9; 1 Chronicles 5:4, 26; 2 Chronicles 28:20; Shalmaneser V - 2 Kings 17:3-5; 18:9; Sargon II - only mentioned by name once in Isaiah 20:1, but referred to in 2 Kings 17:6, 24-41; 18:10-12).

The Northern Kingdom of Israel was so depleted that when Sargon II, king of Assyria finally took Israel captive in 721 BC, there were only 27,290 people removed from the land, as he records in his cuneiform tablets:

"In the first year of my reign, I besieged and conquered Samaria (the capital city of Israel)... I led away into captivity 27,290 people who live there." The Bible as History, Werner Keller, pg 246

We can safely conclude from the Scriptural passages that we have looked at and alluded to, that by the time of the Assyrian captivity of Israel in 721 B.C., the Kingdom of Judah was once again made up of all twelve tribes.

Babylonian Captivity

The records of those returning from the 70 year exile in Babylon only give us a peak at the tribes that returned, such as the one hidden in the name of Azgad ("strong is Gad" - Nehemiah 10:15), though it is clear that most mentioned in Ezra and Nehemiah are from Judah, Benjamin and Levi. As we go through both these records the phrase "of Israel" does show up several times in reference to those that returned (Ezra 2:2, 70; 3:1; 4:3; 6:16-17, 21; 7:7, 10-11, 13, 28; 8:25, 29, 35; 9:1; 10:1-2, 5, 10, 25; Nehemiah 1:6; 2:10; 7:7, 73; 9:1-2; 10:33, 39; 11:3, 20; 12:47; 13:3, 18), leading us to the conclusion that representatives of each tribe also returned from the Babylonian captivity.

New Testament

The above conclusion would be false IF the New Testament did not show evidence of other tribes in the land of Palestine (now called Judea under the Romans) other than Judah and Benjamin. Jesus says that he was sent "unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24), and the angel Gabriel told John the Baptist's father Zacharias that John would turn many of "the children of Israel" to God by his preaching (Luke 1:13-17). If there were only two tribes in the land of Palestine (the Roman province of Judea), and as the Gospel records show, both Jesus and Jesus confined their ministries to Judea only, then Jesus and John would have both failed in their missions.

Even from before the birth of Jesus we have evidence of tribes other than Judah and Benjamin:

Luke 1:5 - There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Luke 2:36 - And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser...

Here we have two tribes mentioned in the opening chapters of Luke. Matthew also mentions that Jesus move from Nazareth to Capernaum positioned him in the territory of Zebulon and Naphtali (Matthew 4:13-16).

Jesus in his preaching considered the people he was speaking to as Israel (Matthew 8:10; Luke 7:9), as did the people he preached to and did miracles for (Matthew 9:33). When Jesus sent the disciples out to preach during his own ministry, he told them not to preach to Gentiles nor to the Samaritans, but only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:6) and he defines the area he was speaking of as "the cities of Israel" (Matthew 10:23).

When Jesus was betrayed by Judas and the people he preached to it is recorded that this fulfilled a prophecy which said "they took the thirty pieces of silver ... whom they of the children of Israel did value..." (Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 27:9-10).

The question of the apostles to Jesus just before his ascension also reveals that all of Israel was represented in the land:

Acts 1:6 - When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Peter spoke to those in Jerusalem concerning the visible manifestation of the gift of tongues and addressed them as "ye men of Israel" (Acts 2:22).

The Apostle Paul, when speaking to Herod Agrippa, puppet king of Israel under the Romans told him that all twelve tribes were there in the land worshipping God.

Acts 26:6-7 - And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come...

We can say this one thing; Jesus accomplished his mission, because all twelve tribes of Israel were in the land of Palestine during his ministry.

The Diaspora

Another feature of the New Testament record is that the writers recognized that the 12 tribes of Israel were also found throughout the Roman Empire. James writes to early Jewish converts to Christ in his letter stating that they came from all 12 tribes:

James 1:1 - James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

Peter also wrote to the early believes and used a similar phrase and actually uses the term (in Greek) diaspora, just like James:

1 Peter 1:1 - Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia...

Instead of 10 tribes being lost, the New Testament record shows that all 12 were both found in the area of Judea and throughout the Roman Empire and the early believers in Christ were made up of all twelve tribes.

Points to Consider

Now let's consider the four points brought out at the beginning of this article concerning the British-Israelite beliefs.

  • The terms "Israelites" and "Jew" are not synonymous in this belief system.

The Apostle Paul, in two separate places in the New Testament, uses both the terms Jew and Israelite to describe himself.

Acts 22:3 - "I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, yet brought up in this city (Jerusalem) at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the Law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day."

Romans 11:1 - "I say then, Hath God cast off his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin."

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah, who prophesied after the fall of the Northern kingdom of Israel, also uses the terms interchangeably:

Jeremiah 2:4, 9, 26-28 - Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel.... I bring charges against you again.... As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced -- they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets. They say to wood, "You are my father," and to stone, "You gave me birth." They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, "Come and save us!" Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.

One can find several places where Jeremiah does this (ie.: Jeremiah 3:6-8; 5:1, 9-15, 20, 29; 6:1-9; 10:1, 17-18, 22; 11:9-12, 17; 18:6-11; etc.). Ezekiel, Ezra and Nehemiah are other Old Testament books that use the terms interchangeably.

  • That the return of the Jews under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah to Palestine from their captivity in Babylon was limited to the two tribes.

If we turn to Nehemiah 5:1,8,17 and compare it with chapter 7:73 and 9:1 we find that this statement by is incorrect.

Nehemiah 5:1,8,17 - And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews... And I said unto them, We, after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen... Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers...

Nehemiah 7:73 - So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

Nehemiah 9:1 - Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them.

We can state with conviction that those that returned to the land of Palestine and continued to dwell there were representatives of all the tribes of Israel.

  • That the "stone of Israel" of Genesis 49:24 was the stone used by Jacob as a pillow and was carried by him into the land of Palestine. When Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land of Israel in 606 B.C., the daughter of Zedekiah, king of Judah, fled to Egypt with Jeremiah the prophet, taking the stone with her. From Egypt it was shipped by Jews to Ireland, then Scotland and finally found its place in the coronation chair in the Westminster Abby.

What of this claim? Again let's turn to the Bible, and see that the Bible has the answer to this as well.

Genesis 28:18-22 - And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

We see from this passage that the stone never left the place that Jacob set it for a pillar.

For interest sake, one might note that the coronation chair at Westminster Abby is made of red sandstone, and the stones that are found in the area of Bethel are white limestone.

  • That David's throne is presently the throne on which Queen Elizabeth sits in London, England.

Where was David's throne located?

1 Kings 2:11 - And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

David's throne was quite clearly in Jerusalem.

What was to happen to this throne?

To answer this, I will quote the same verse from three different translations.

Ezekiel 21:27 - I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. (KJV)

Ezekiel 21:27 - A ruin,ruin, ruin I will make it; there shall be no trace of it until he comes whose right it is; and to him will I give it. (RSV)

Ezekiel 21:27 - A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! It will not be restored until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs; to him I will give it. (NIV)

The answer is clear. The throne of David was to cease to exist until the one who is called "he whose right it is" should come.

This leads us to a third question, containing two parts.

Where will the throne be re-established, and who is "he whose right it is"?

To answer the second part first, we are told that Jesus Christ is the one who will reign from "the throne of David".

Isaiah 9:6-7 - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God (Heb. el gibbor), the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this.

2 Samuel 7:12, 13 & 16 - And when thy (David) days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever... And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

Luke 1:31-33 - And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Jesus Christ is the one to whom the throne of David belongs, and he will reign from it.

The remaining question is where will the throne be re-established?

Again the Bible is very clear. Jesus taught his disciples to pray,

Matthew 6:9-10 - Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven...

Throughout his ministry, Jesus taught the disciples about the Kingdom of God (see Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Luke 9:1-6; Acts 1:3). The disciples were convinced that Jesus would immediately set up the Kingdom (Acts 1:6), and that was only because of the "infallible proofs" that Jesus presented to them concerning the Kingdom.

Some of these proofs were no doubt from passages such as Isaiah 2:2-4; Jeremiah 3:17; Psalm 2:6-12; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Isaiah 24:23. These passages would have given them a hope for a better time, and a better life. Let's look at a few of these passages.

Isaiah 2:2-4 - And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations...

Jeremiah 3:17 - At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

Psalm 2:6-12 - Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are they that put their trust in him.

Jeremiah 23:5 - Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth.

This final Kingdom will have its headquarters in Jerusalem, as we have seen in these passages. Also mentioned is the fact that it will include the entire world. This is re-enforced by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 2:34, 35 & 44 and Daniel 7:13, 14 & 27.

Daniel 2:34, 35 & 44 - Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.... And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Daniel 7:13, 14 & 27 - I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed...And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

The Lord Jesus Christ also mentioned during his ministry that Jerusalem "is the city of the great King" and that the "meek shall inherit the earth" (see Matt.5:5, 35). Revelation 11:15 says that "the kingdoms of this world" are to become the kingdoms of God and his Christ.

Conclusions

From what we have looked at throughout this article, we can confidently say the following:

The term "Jew", as used in Scripture applies in general to the twelve tribes of Israel, and "Jew" and "Israelite" are interchangeable expressions used to represent the entire nation of Israel.

The return of the Jews from Babylon was not limited to just the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, but it was the return of the entire house of Israel.

David's throne was in Jerusalem and will once again be set up in Jerusalem by Jesus Christ after he returns to earth from heaven.

The "stone of Israel" never left the place Jacob slept in, but was set up in that place as an altar to worship Almighty God.

We see then, that this false doctrine of Britain being part of the tribes of Israel leads us away from Bible truth, and disregards the prophecies given by God about His true people Israel, and their return to the land of Palestine as a sign of the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ to this earth to set up the Kingdom of God centered in Jerusalem.

Written by Matthew Smith
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